Cleveland Browns Have Issues Evaluating Some of Their Rookies

Another Sunday, another loss for the Cleveland Browns, but there is a bigger issue that is arising in the organization and that is with the weekly evaluation of their current rookies on the roster.

You may be asking yourself what this means.

This past Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals the Browns, once again, had half of their drafted players from the 2009 NFL Draft sitting on the sidelines without pads and helmets on.

With the team in a downward spiral for most of the entire season, you have to start questioning what is going on with rookies Brian Robiskie, David Veikune, and Coye Francies.

First, let us start with the easy one in linebacker Veikune. He was a defensive end in college and he is currently transitioning to become a NFL linebacker, which cannot be an easy switch.

As a defensive end, Veikune had to get to the opposing quarterback and stop the run more than anything else, but now he is being asked to fall back into coverage and recognize formations. This transition is an understandable reason why he has been inactive for several games in 2009.

Cornerback Francies has been inactive a few time too in 2009, and this one boggles the mind a bit especially with the coverage issues that cornerbacks Brandon McDonald and Hank Poteat have had through much of the season.

McDonald has been demoted due to bad coverage and tackling issues by Mike Adams. Who has taken over his starting cornerback spot across from Eric Wright.

Poteat has played the nickelback in the slot and been burned many times in 2009.

With the Browns defensive backs struggling, Francies should be getting some reps to see if he can help, but instead he sits on the sidelines wearing a Browns hoodie.

Robiskie is the biggest question mark and he has been inactive for four games. A high second round pick, the Browns should be getting more out of Robiskie.

At the beginning of the season, Eric Mangini said that Robiskie was not doing well on special teams and he needed to make more of an impact there before he can get reps at wide receiver.

This is completely understandable.

There is also the issue of his speed and skinny frame which could lead to injury until he can bulk up another 10-15 pounds.

But if Robiskie bulks up, won't his speed suffer from the added weight?

Regardless of what the real issue is with Robiskie, why did Mangini use a high second round pick on him, when is retrospect, it would have been better to draft another linebacker like Rey Maualuga.

The Browns evaluation of their current players has got to be one of the worst in the league, but since we cannot know the inner workings of the organization there may also be other reasons that have not gone public.

It's just crazy that half of the Browns 2009 draft picks are on the sidelines when players like newly acquired linebacker Matt Roth and wide receiver Jake Allen are immediately thrust into a game after coming to the team off of waivers.

The time to properly evaluate the players on the roster has come, but it seems like Mangini just doesn't want to give these younger players a chance at all.

Either something is wrong with the evaluation process, with Mangini, or with the actual players, but they need reps and it doesn't look good for these guys right now.

(Article also posted on Dawg Scooper)